Off The Bus
by Dana Rose
Summary: Another way Jess' departure could have gone. He never should have let Rory get off that bus alone. Literati set in the third season.


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He watched as Rory got up to get off the bus. It was her stop. She would go to Chilton, graduate as the valedictorian she deserved to be, go to Yale and be just as successful like everyone knew she would be. He, on the other hand, couldn't even manage to pass his senior year at Stars Hollow High. Once she found that out, there was no way she would ever want to be with him. He told her he was handling it, and he truly thought he was, but it turned out he had missed more days at the beginning of the year than he had thought. There was no doubt in Jess Mariano's mind that Rory would be disappointed in him, and angry too knowing her, when she found all this out. So he did what he did best. He ran.

He packed his bag and got on the bus, fully prepared to head to California and stay with his father, Jimmy. This way, he wouldn't have to see her face fall when she heard the news, he wouldn't have to see the hurt in her eyes. What he wasn't prepared for was for Rory to be on that bus. Of course, she hadn't been expecting to see him either.

When she sat down beside him, he had no clue what he should say. 'Hey Ror, guess what? Not only am I not graduating, Luke kicked me out and now I'm on my way to live with my good for nothing father who left me that day I was born. What? No, I wasn't going to tell you. Why? 'Cause you're too good for me and I don't know how to tell you.' Yeah, that would go over well. He was glad she didn't pry, but still his plan hadn't gone over well at all. He didn't know what came over him when he told her he couldn't take her to the prom, he just blurted it out. Leaving or not, he still had to watch as her face fell, no matter how hard she tried to cover it up, he knew her well enough to know that she was upset. Great, just what he was trying to avoid.

Jess really didn't want to leave. He would never admit it to anyone, except maybe that blue eyed angel he liked to call his girlfriend ('for now' he reminded himsef), but the craziness that was Stars Hollow had grown on him. Even his gruff uncle Luke had grown on him. He was just so damn tired of disappointing everyone around him. Every instinct inside of him was screaming for him to run, go to California, make a new start for yourself. To take the easy way out. But as he watched Rory walk away from him, then turn around as if to say something ('maybe ask you to come with her' a small voice said in his head), then get out of the bus, he knew he couldn't take the easy way out anymore. Yeah, he probably could make a new start in California, but he would never find another Rory Gilmore. So, he made a split second decision that he hoped he wouldn't come to regret. He grabbed his bag and got off the bus after her.

"Rory!" he called, walking toward her quickly. She turned around, surprised, and just stared at him like she couldn't believe what she was seeing. She was certain Jess was gone. He walked until he was standing right in front of her, then dropped his duffle bag on the ground. He wanted to hit himself when he saw the tears shinning in her eyes.

"Jess...what are you.." Rory started to say, but stopped as she brushed back her tears to get a good look at him. He looked shaken, more so than he had on the bus, nervous, which she couldn't remember seeing him like ever before, but most of all Jess looked like he had something he wanted to say, and that was so uncommon in their relationship it shocked her. They hadn't really talked since Kyle's party, and she wanted to know what was going on with him. Seeing him on that bus she was sure Jess was leaving, but seeing him standing in front of her made her think otherwise. Before she could say anything, Jess said anxiously,

"Can we go somewhere to talk?" They had drawn a crowd and he was sure that no matter what way the following conversation was going to go, it needed to be private. Rory nodded without having to think about it, and said,

"There's a park down the street. We can go there." He bent down to pick up the bag, threw it over his shoulder, and held out a hand for her to take. He was relieved when she took it without hesitation, feeling comfort from having her smaller hand in his. The walk to the park was quiet, Jess trying to figure out what to say and Rory mentally preparing herself for whatever he was going to tell her. Judging by that bag over his shoulder, it wasn't good. They made it to the park, and silently sat under an old tree. Rory moved so she was sitting indian style in front of him, waiting for him to talk. She wanted answers, but knew pushing Jess wouldn't help. After a few minutes, Jess looked at her.

"I can't take you to prom." He started. She nodded, face blank, and took his hand in her own.

"So you've told me."

"I can't take you to prom because I'm not graduating." He felt her grip on his hand tighten,and saw her eyes widen, but otherwise she didn't say anything. "I'm not graduating because I missed too many days earlier this year, and since I didn't follow up on my end of the deal, Luke kicked me out." He ended, not knowing how to tell her about California.

"Jess," she started and before he could stop himself he looked away, staring at a blade of grass to their side. "No, look at me." she told him. He did and she continued. "First of all, I don't care about prom. You're more important to me than any dance. Understand?" He nodded, waiting for the rant. "Second, I'm not going to chew you out for not graduating. I know you didn't fail on purpose. But Jess, you're so smart! I know you don't care about school like I do, but don't you want your diploma? To prove everyone wrong?" He sighed and then nodded.

"Yeah, actually. Now that they won't give it to me, I kind of want it. But it's too late. I would have to take the whole year over again, and they say summer schools not an option." She frowned.

"They won't let you go to summer school?" She asked.

"No."

"How many days did you miss Jess?" He looked at her. She didn't look at him angrily and her tone wasn't accusing. She looked curious.

"Around 20 or so." Now she just looked confused.

"And Luke didn't say anything to you? Make you go to class?"

"Luke didn't know I was missing so much school. That's why he kicked me out when he found out the truth." She was quiet for a minute before telling him,

"They can't fail you. There is this rule at Stars Hollow High that the guardian must be contacted when their charge goes over their absences. When I was a freshman I got the flu and missed a lot of days. The school would call our house telling mom that I was missing too much school to pass. The calls kept coming until I made the days up. If they didn't contact Luke then they can't fail you like that, or at the very least they would have to let you go to summer school. It's school policy." As she talked she got more and more excited, then that excitement turned to anger. "They are obligated to follow those rules for every single one of their students and they didn't even try and help you. That's not fair! You never even had the chance to make those days up! You shouldn' t have to .." She was cut off by Jess' hand over her mouth. No matter how happy he was that she wasn't directing her anger toward him at this point of the conversation, he didn't want her distracting herself with a ramble. She blushed and muttered a sorry when he removed his hand.

"Don't be sorry." he told her. He should be the one apologizing and she shouldn't be sticking up for him. Rory just smiled at him and continued on.

"Third, Luke was probably just mad, Jess, and is more than likely worried about you right now. And even if he isn't," she said brightly, "I can make him take you back." He snorted and smiled. There was no doubt in his mind that Rory could make anyone do anything she wanted with those eyes and that pout of hers. He was surprised at how their talk was going so far. She hadn't broken up with him, or left in a huff, but there was still the matter of that bag sitting a few feet away. She noticed the smile fade from his face and knew they were about to talk about the bus, but was tired of being quiet.

"You were going to leave." She said, quickly changing the light-hearted mood to a more serious one. His head snapped towards hers. He knew it was coming but wasn't sure how it would go over.

"I was." He said stressing the word was.

"Where were you going?"

"Jimmy's. My dad. In California." He watched as the words caused her to shut her eyes and take a deep breath to calm herself. "He came by the diner a few weeks ago. Staying with him just seemed like the best solution to everything." She stared at him.

"You weren't going to tell me?" Rory wasn't able to hide the hurt in her voice. Jess felt lower than dirt.

"No. I couldn't. I didn't want to hurt you." As soon as he said it he knew it was stupid. She did too.

"How do you think I felt when I saw you on that bus, Jess! I knew you were leaving and you didn't say anything. That hurt Jess. It hurt. And if you had left, if I hadn't seen you, how do you think I would have felt when I found out my boyfriend didn't tell me he was moving across the country. I wouldn't have just been hurt Jess, I would have been heartbroken." The tears started to fall, and Rory pulled away from him. Jess ran a shaky hand through his hair, and wanted nothing more than to take the pain away that he caused, but didn't know how.

"I know. I'm so sorry Rory." He waited for her to say something. Nothing. "I didn't think it through at all, I just decided this morning to go. Had I been on the bus a few more hours alone, I don't know if I would have come back on my own. Maybe I would have. But Rory, I never wanted to go. It's just that I felt like I had to, like I had nowhere else to go. I felt trapped. Then I saw you on the bus and knew I couldn't leave you. I..." She had stopped crying, and was listening to what he was saying. Deep down she could understand why he felt trapped, but that didn't excuse him not telling her. Still, he had gone after her, and that had to mean something.

"Promise me something Jess" she asked.

"Anything." he answered, wanting to make it up to her.

"Promise me next time you feel like you have to run you'll tell me." It was such a simple request he couldn't help but smile. He had no intention of running from this girl ever again. She was everything to him, and while that scared him to death, the thought of leaving her for good scared him even more.

"I promise." he said earnestly. She smiled back, and did what she had been wanting to do ever since she heard him call her name off the bus. She threw her arms around him and held him tight. He wrapped his arms around her immediately and buried his face in her hair, breathing it in. It had been awhile since he had held her like this, and he was amazed she was giving him another chance.

"I love you Rory. So much." He whispered, not sure if she heard him or not, but got his answer when he heard slightly muffled from his chest,

"I love you too, Jess."

Yeah, he didn't regret getting off that bus.


End file.
